Circular knitting machines

ABSTRACT

A MECHANISM COMPRISING A TOOTHED WHEEL COAXIAL WITH THE SHAFT OF A KNITTING INSTRUMENTALITY SELECTOR DRUM OF THE MACHINE, TWO ACTUATING PINIONS FOR SAID TOOTHED WHEEL, EACH ADAPTED TO ROTATE IT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AND MOVABLE CAM MEANS, ADAPTED TO ACTUATE ALTERNATELY SAID ACTUATING PINIONS ON BEING ENGAGED BY CONTROL CAM MEANS PROVIDED IN THE FIXED PART OF THE MACHINE.

3 mwmwm 5 wow 2 500 5H 7 66 8 66 5 a 3 in H N m 1 m MA D- Smflm mm n flfl n m S mM d ae R MZP T M na Uwww MUM 675 Mfl 030 H m, D. 2 3 9 t n m m 6 m u y a vm m J P mm 1 n. 7 s S e mms h t mmmn m m fi mm S o d m N MW e m n t m Mmm um I AFPP U H flflfi W BURN FOREIGN PATENTS ,335,7l0 7/1963 France Spain 359,705 and 370,045 Assignee S. A. Jumberca. Jacinto Benavente S/H Badalona (Pr-0v.) Barcelona,

Spain CIRCULAR KNITTING MACmNES ABSTRACT: A mechanism comprising a toothed wheel coaxial with the shaft of a knitting instrumentality selector drum of the machine, two actuating pinions for said toothed wheel, each adapted to rotate it in opposite directions and movable 10 Claims, 16 Drawing Figs.

66/50 D04b 15/74 cam means, adapted to actuate alternately said actuating 66/50 (B), pinions on being engaged by control cam means provided in 50, 40, 25, 36 (B) the fixed part of the machine.

PATENTED JUN28 I971 SHEET 1 BF 8 PATENTED Junza Ian saw u 0F 8 PATENTEU Juuz s I971 3.587253 SHEET 5 BF 8 FIG. 7

PATENTEU Juuza |97l SHEET 6 BF 8 FIG. 10

PATENTEUJUNNIB?! 3.587.253

- SHEET 8 UF 8 FIG. 14

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES The present invention relates to a mechanism for actuating the selector drums of circular knitting machines and more particularly to a mechanism which allows the selector drums to carry out a rotary movement which represents one or two rotary steps or parts into which it is divided, the said movement being effected in either direction without any of the said movements being effected by means of springs.

It is an aim of the present invention to ensure that the above movements may be carried out without restrictions of any kind and in either direction in single steps, double steps or in any of the possible combinations of one or two rotary steps, this being effected in such a manner that the movement or jump of two steps is produced by the uninterrupted succession of two movements constituting fractions of a stepped movement.

The mechanism to which the invention relates was developed to meet the above requirements, the said mechanism being essentially characterized in that each selector drum, which is mounted on the fixed part of the machine, is provided with a toothed wheel coaxial with the shaft of the said machine and meshing directly with a first actuating pinion causing it to rotate in a direction which shall be referred to as the positive direction, and indirectly with a second actuating pinion causing it to rotate in the opposite, negative direction, each of the said pinions being driven by a toothed element which rotates in the same direction and only in that direction, so that each of them is caused to move one or two rotary steps or teeth by means of movable cam systems having one or two teeth respectively and mounted on the moving portion of the machine, the said movable cam systems being in turn actuated by control cam systems which are of adjustable position and are mounted on the fixed portion of the machine, and cut out by cut out cam systems, the position of which is fixed and which are also mounted on the fixed portion of the machine.

The actuating pinions are mounted coaxially to each other, one being arranged on a hollow shaft and the other on a shaft within the first-mentioned shaft.

The toothed members which are controlled so as to rotate in the same direction and only in one direction and which drive their respective actuating pinions, are integral with the shaft of the appropriate pinion and take the form of ratchet wheels.

Each movable cam system is composed of two parts, each pair of parts acting on one of the toothed members so that a first part in each pair is provided with an element which is complementary to the teeth on the toothed members while a second part is provided with two teeth having the same characteristics as the preceding one. The combination of movable cam systems are provided with locking means which hold them in rest position in which the control means do not act or the cut out systems do operate if they were in working position.

According to one embodiment of the invention, each selector drum mounted in the fixed or the movable part of the machine is associated with at least one toothed element able to rotate in opposite directions and actuated by the movable cam systems, each of which is composed of a pair of cams having one cam with one tooth and one with two, the said cam systems being arranged diametrically opposite the axis of the toothed member on either the movable or fixed portion of the machine, so that the action of one of the cams excludes the possibility of action by the others, the said movable cam systems being in turn actuated by control cam systems, the position of which is adjustable and which are arranged on the fixed portion of the machine and cut out by cam cut out systems which are fixed in positions and also mounted on the fixed portion of the machine.

The drum and the toothed members are connected either by means of a single shaft or by means of two shafls connected together by an intermediate set of toothed wheels designated to obtain various transmission ratios.

In a further embodiment, the drum shaft has secured thereto a toothed member composed of a ratchet wheel having teeth with symmetrical flanks and parts which act upon the said wheel in such a manner that in each pair one part is provided with a tooth complementary to the teeth on the toothed member while a second part is provided with two teeth having the same characteristics as the previous one, the moving base of these devices only being able to rotate in one direction.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the selector drums are drawn in rotation by their toothed or ratchet wheels under the action of several sets of rocker cams such that in each of them, one of the cams is lodged on the other with both teeth located at the same level so that the upper cam may be actuated independently while when the lower cam is actuated it also causes the upper cam to be raised, the said actuation of the actuating cams being effected by means ofthe control cam system, the cams of which come into contact with the rear edge of the former cams so that the said actuating cams are associated with a catch pawl which is able to control the two sets of cams from one of the sides of the toothed wheel in order to cause the wheel to rotate in the same direction, in such a manner that the said catch pawl is actuated by means of a portion on the said catch pawl which hooks on to an oscillating head and with a spring which retains the head in working position, allowing it to pivot in order to release the pawl in the event of a mechanical obstruction occurring within the system, the position of the spring relatively to the oscillating head being adjustable.

Other aims and features of the invention will become clear in the course of the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. I is a diagram of the layout of a selector drum in which is shown the portions of a turn or parts into which it has been divided, indicating one example of advance in a positive and one in a negative direction,

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the general principle of actuation of the shafts of the selector drums in a case in which the latter advance a part of a turn,

FIG. 3 is a similar view to that of FIG. 2 for the case in which the selector drum advances two parts ofa turn,

FIG. 4 is a simplified view in part diametrical section of a selector drum mounted on the corresponding portion of the circular knitting machine comprising part of the needle bed and the systems for selecting and causing the drum to rotate through parts of a turn,

FIG. 5 is another view of the lower portion of the preceding figure which it complements by showing the means for actuating the selection and control mechanisms and being turned FIG. 6 is a perspective view, which has been simplified, of the mechanism actuating a selector drum and the devices and cams for such actuation,

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the mechanism of the invention with only one toothed wheel,

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the toothed wheel and cam system which actuate the shaft of the selector drum as shown in the preceding FIGURE,

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an intermediate set of toothed wheels between the shaft of the drum and that of the toothed wheels,

' FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the mechanism of the invention with two wheels,

FIG. II is a schematic plan view of the toothed wheels shown in FIG. 10 and cam systems which actuate the common shaft of the drum, and are shown removed from their stacked position,

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing one part of a ring carrying a circular knitting machine, comprising a safety device for actuating a selector drum, the two cams of a set being in working position,

FIG. 13 is a detail ofa set of cams as shown in the preceding FIGURE in which only one is in working position,

FIG. 14 is a similar view to that in FIG. 13 and illustrates the case in which both cams in a set are inoperative,

FIG. 16 shows the relative position of the pawl and the two cams ofa set, one of which is in working position and the other inactive.

As is shown in FIG. I, the selector drum l, which is represented by a simple circle divided into eight equal parts, each of which represents a part turn. Using the mechanism of the invention it is possible to ensure that the selector drum I rotates about its shaft 2 in either direction and for a distance of one or two part turns. Thus in FIG. I, by way of example, it has been assumed that in a first movement or actuation of the selector drum 1, the latter rotates through a single part turn A and subsequently through two part turns B, both of which are in the same direction, namely clock wise, which we shall refer to as positive or advance movement, and in a number of successive movements passes through a part turn C and a double part turn D, both counterclockwise, this movement being referred to as negative or withdrawal movement. It is important that the sum of the part turns in the positive direction A B should be the same as the sum of the part turns in the negative direction C+D.

In order to ensure for each movement of the selector drum 1 the stated number of part turns, either one or two, use is made of a number of toothed members 3 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which take the form of ratchet wheels 4, each of the teeth 4 of which has a diametrical flank 5 (aligned diametrically with the opposite one) and a tangential flank 6 (tangent to a circumference a concentric with that of the shaft 2). On these teeth 4, as is shown in FIG. 2, there acts a first cam device 7 having a tooth 8, which also has a flank 9 normal to the direction of movement as indicated by the arrow I0, and an inclined flank 11, both complementary to the flanks of the teeth 4 of the ratchet wheels 3. The movement of this cam device 7 determines the movement through a part turn of the selector drum 1, the wheel remaining ready for further actuation and in the very same initial position. In the same way, in the case illustrated in FIG. 3 in which a second cam device 70 is provided with teeth 8a and 8b with its flanks 9a and 9b normal to the direction of movement as indicated by the arrow 10a and the flanks 11a and 11b which are inclined. The movement of this second cam device 7a determines the movement through two part turns of the selector drum 1, one for each tooth 8a and 8b. Both in the case shown in FIG. 2 and that shown in FIG. 3, the direction of rotation of the ratchet wheel 3 is that indicated by the arrow 12.

FIG. 4 shows the selector drum 1 with its shaft 2 mounted to rotate on a fixed portion 13 of the circular knitting machine, the shaft of which is extended downwards and has mounted thereon a brake drum l4 acting through a shoe i5 controlled by the screw I6 and a toothed wheel 17.

This toothed wheel 17 (FIG. 6) meshes directly with 'a first pinion I8 and indirectly with a second actuating pinion I9 through a reversing pinion 20. The actuating pinions I8 and 19 are coaxial and independent, the former being mounted on a solid shaft 2] and the second on a hollow shaft 22 while the reversing pinion 20 is mounted on an independent shaft 23. The toothed member 3a is secured to the solid shaft 21 and the toothed element 3!) to the hollow shaft 22.

The toothed members 3a and 3b are actuated by their respective cam systems 240 and 24!: mounted so as to form a unit 25. Each of the cam systems takes the form of a part 7 having one tooth 8 and a part 7a having two teeth 8a and 8b as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each part 7 is slideably mounted in unit 25 and biassed outwardly by a spring (not shown).

These movable cam systems 24a and 24b are mounted on a moving part 26 of the machine and are in turn actuated by control earns 27 mounted on the fixed portion 13 of the machine which may be single (cf. FIG. 6) but are preferably double and composed of means 27a and 27b as shown in FIG. 4. In the first ease, the means 27 are provided with a plate 28 able to take up five positions, one being the inoperative position and the other four those in which it acts selectively, so as to slide on one of the parts 7 (shown in FIG. 6) or 7a of the devices 24a and 24b. In the second case, the means 27a and 27b are provided with two plates 28a and 28b each of which is able to take up three positions, one in which it is inoperative, shown in FIG. 4, for example, and two working positions in which they act respectively on one of the parts 7 or 70 of the devices 240 and 24!). These control earns 27, 27a and 27b are provided with springs 29a and 29!: (FIG. 5) which are anchored by their ends in moving stop members 300 and 30b and in fixed stop members 3| to normally draw the said means into the inoperative position. The actuation of the control cam system 27, 27a and 27b is effected by exerting thrust on rods 32a and 32b, each of which is of different height and carrying the plates 28a and 28b, by means of fingers 33a and 33b of elbow levers 34a and 34b, arms 35a, 35b 36a and 36b pivoting about a fixed shaft 37 and articulated by their shafts 38a and 38b to rods 3% and 3912 which in turn are articulated by means of shafts 40a and 40b to elbow levers 41a and 41b pivoting about a shaft 42 and provided with the arms 43a, 43b, 44a, 44b, the last arms mentioned terminating in rollers 45a and 45b which move on links 46 of chains 47a and 47b mounted on drums 48a and 48b which are actuated simultaneously by a ratchet 49 and pawl 50, the pawl, which is articulated to one end of a bar 51, is able to reciprocate by means of a roller 52 which moves while being continuously applied against the periphery ofa cam 53 mounted on the moving portion of the machine.

When the control cam system is double, the greater part of the components are also doubled and since they are located one above the other in the drawings they are indicated by the same number and the letters a and b.

The transmission to needles 54 of the position conveyed to the selector drum 1 is effected by means ofa selector column 55 (FIG. 4) which receives it through arms 56 and pattern bits 57 (FIG. 6) located on the selector drum 1. The selector column 55 in turn acts through its anns 58 on jacks 59 located in the cylinder 60 of the machine, the jacks 59 being those which transmit the action to the needles 54.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the cylindrical drum I is mounted on a shaft 2 which thus carries one or two toothed or ratchet wheels 103,104, a number of moving cams and 106 mounted on a moving part 107 of the machine and a number of control cams 108A (FIG. 10) which are provided with multiple position plates 109A and 1098.

The drum 1 is thus able to rotate through a certain number of part turns, rotating through one or two part turns at each movement.

The toothed wheels 103 and 104 are provided with as many teeth as there are part turns for the drum 1. In the case where there is only one wheel 103, the teeth 110 have symmetrical flanks Ill (FIG. 8) while in the case where there are two wheels, the teeth 2 have one diametrical flank 113 and one tangential flank 114 (FIG. 11).

Nonetheless, the invention provides for the inclusion of an intermediate set of intermediate wheels I15 and 115A (FIG. 9) which mesh together and are connected to both shafts 2 and 2A, so that the drum is able to rotate at a certain speed determined by the ratio of teeth on the said wheels 115 and 115A, including fractional values.

The moving cam system 105 (FIG. 8) for the single wheel I03 comprises several cams I16 and H7, the teeth 118 of which have symmetrical flanks 119 whereas in cases where there are two wheels I03 and 104 (FIG. 11) the teeth 120 of the cams I16 and 117 are provided with one normal flank 121 and one oblique flank 122. The other device I06 is also provided in both cases with cams I16 and 117 with characteristics identical with those mentioned in the case of the previous device.

The cam systems 105 and 106 (FIG. 10) are housed in member 123A and 1238 which are secured to the moving portion 107 or the machine and are actuated by the control cams 108A mounted on the fixed portion of the same machine. These means are provided with the plates 109A and I098 which are able to take up an inoperative position and four working positions in order to effect selection, acting upon the devices 105 and 106.

The drum 1 rests on a fixed portion 124 (FIG. 7) of the machine in which is provided a brake system for the shaft 2 composed of belts 125, a fixed screw 126 and a variable screw 127.

The movements of the mechanism are transmitted to the needles in the machine by means of transmission devices 128 (FIG. of the lever of slideably type. In the first case, an arm 129 is provided and tends to move against the drum 1 or against a number of pattern bits 130 mounted within the actual drum and the arm moves out and acts on a jack 131 through its butt 132 which is arranged in a bed of needles 133 and the latter on the appropriate needle. When the arm 129 abuts against the drum 1, the arm does not emerge and thus does not act on the jack 131.

This process may also be reversed, on the base of a twoarmed lever transmission system so that a thrust on one of the arms produces a withdrawal in the remainder.

The mechanism shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, is based on a single toothed wheel 103, and the moving base 107 rotates while the mechanism shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, is based on a pair of wheels 104 and 103. In both cases, rotation of the shaft 2 may be effected in either direction as a result of the relationship between the cam systems 105 and 106 and the said wheels.

It will be obvious that the rotary action of the drum 1 occurs in either direction through the sole shaft 2 which receives these movements from the cam systems 105 and 106 which rotate in the same direction on opposite sides of shaft 2. The fundamental feature of this action lies in the exclusive efiect which is exerted between the devices so that when one of them is working, the remaining one is left aside until it comes into action, at which moment it is the first which becomes inoperative.

in this embodiment, an important simplification in design is achieved in that it is possible to omit the sets of pinions which are nonnally required for the reversal of direction. At the same time, it is possible to achieve a substantial reduction in the height of the machine, particularly because of the absence of the pinions concerned, so that the machine is reduced to a height such that operatives can reach the highest portions. There are also other economic advantages.

in a further embodiment (FIG. 12), in a ring 201 which forms part of the rigid structure of a circular-knitting machine, the selector drums and columns act upon the jacks which are associated with the needles. The rotation of the said drums is achieved directly or indirectly through a shaft 202 which carries one or two toothed wheels or ratchet wheels 203 which are associated with a number of sets of cams which cause them to rotate in either direction, depending upon which of the flanks of the wheel they act upon.

This embodiment relates to the cams which cause rotation of the wheel 203 and the elements which serve to actuate it. Each set of actuating cams is composed of a lower cam 204 which is articulated through a shaft 205 to a second, upper cam 206. The cams 204 and 206 are both provided with respective teeth 207 and 208 which act at the same level and have the special feature of being coupled together so that the upper cam 206 rests on the lower one 204. As was seen in F 1G. 15, the teeth 207 and 208 take up the same width when aligned and the second tooth lodges in a socket 209 in the lower cam 204.

The particular design of the cams 204 and 206 which are coupled together enables the upper cam 206 to act independently of the lower cam 204 when receiving a thrust and to be withdrawn by means of a spring 210 (FIG. 12). On the other hand, when the lower cam 204 receives a thrust, it determines the useful pull of the upper cam 206 which as it withdraws exem a thrust on the lower cam. Thus one or both cums play a part in every action, the upper cam 206 always acting and the lower cam 204 acting occasionally.

The retaining member for the cams 204 and 206 comprises a pawl 211 which abuts against the boss 212 ofthe cam 204 or on the identical boss 213 of the other cam 206.

The pawl 211 rotates about a shaft 214 and possesses sufficient height to act upon the two sets of cams which act on the same side of the shaft 202 which carries the wheels 203 which correspond to the cams.

The pawl 211 has an extension 215 which carries a spring 216 associated with a rocker member 217 able to make contact with a cutout cam 218.

The actuation of the cams 204 and 206 takes place by the action of the appropriate set of control cams which influence the lower edge 220 or 221 (FIG. 13) respectively of the first cams.

In addition, a head 222 (FIG. 12) which is also mounted on the ring 201 is associated with the rocker member 217 although normally it is purely passive. in the situation such as is illustrated in FIG. 12, the head 222 is provided with a rotary aperture 223 in which there projects a stationary lug 224. The rear portion of the head 222 has an end portion provided with a regulating screw which rests on a flexure spring 226 carried by a support 227.

In the event of the cam systems becoming jammed, which would lead to certain defects which would show at the weakest points in the machine, the cam systems acts on the head 222 which would then exert pressure on the spring 226 which is suitably calibrated until the latter were overcome and released the cams from the forced position they had taken up. The

movement of the head 222 is effected by movement through its aperture 223.

When the cams are inoperative, the cams 204 and 206 move into abutment against a stop member 228 (FIG. 12) made of nylon or a similar material.

The detail of FIG. 16 makes it possible to understand the behavior of the pawl 211 when it operates with only one of the actuating cams, abutting on the boss 213 of one of them and allowing the boss of the other 212 to rest on its front portion which is recessed for this purpose.

lclaim:

1. A mechanism for actuating a knitting instrumentality selector drum of a circular knitting machine comprising, a toothed wheel coaxial with a shaft of the machine and connected to the selector drum, a first actuating pinion meshing directly with said toothed wheel and causing it to rotate in one direction, a first-toothed member driving said first actuating pinion and rotating in one direction, a second actuating pinion meshing indirectly with said toothed wheel and causing it to rotate in the opposite direction, a second-toothed member driving said second actuating pinion and rotating in the same direction as said first-toothed member, first and second sets of moveable cam means mounted on a moveable part of the machine and each having a one-tooth zone and a two-tooth zone, said first set of cam means being adapted, when in the operative position, to move said first-toothed member while said second set of cams is inoperative, and said second set of cam means being adapted, when in the operative position, to move said second-toothed member while said first set of cams means is in inoperative position, and adjustable control cam means being provided on a fixed part of the machine adapted to alternatively actuate said first and second sets of cam means.

2. A mechanism for actuating the selector drum of the circular knitting machine of claim 1, wherein each said first and second sets of cam means comprises two cams, one cam providing the said one-toothed zone, and the second cam the said two-tooth zone, and wherein said control cam means is adjustable by pattern means.

3. A mechanism for actuating the selector drum of the circular knitting machine of claim 1, wherein said first and second sets of moveable cam means each comprises a pair of upper and lower rocker cams, with a tooth on each cam, said cams being articulated at the same point such that in each pair both teeth are located at the same level, said upper cam being actuatable independently of the lower cam while the lower cam, when actuated, also causes the upper cam to be moved, so that one or both cams always act in any operation, the actuation of the said rocker cams being effected through contact of the said control cam means with the rear edges of the actuating cams. l

4. A mechanism for actuating the selector drum of the circular knitting machine of claim I, in which the actuating pinions are mounted coaxially, one on a hollow shaftand the other on a shaft contained within the said hollow shaft.

5. A mechanism for actuating the selector drum of the circular knitting machine of claim I, in which the toothed members which are controlled so as to rotate in the same direction and only in that direction and which actuate the appropriate actuating pinions, are made integral with the shaft of the pertinent pinion and take the form of ratchet wheels.

6. A mechanism for actuating the selector drum of the circular knitting machine of claim I, in which each set of movable cam means is composed ofa pair of parts, each of the pairs acting on one of the toothed members, so that in each pair a first part is provided with a tooth complementary to the teeth on the toothed members while a second part is provided with two teeth having the same characteristics as the previous one.

7. A mechanism for actuating the selector drum of the circular knitting machine of claim 1, in which of movable cam means the said first and second set constitutes a unit of four pieces, two identical pairs, which selectively, under said action of the control cam means, act singly on either of the toothed members.

8. A mechanism for actuating the selector drum of the circular knitting machine of claim 1, in which said movable cam means have securing means for holding them in working position as set by said control cam means.

9. A mechanism for actuating the selector drum of the circular knitting machine of claim I, in which said movable cam means have biasing means for holding them in the inoperative position as determined by the failure of said control cam means to act.

[0. A mechanism for actuating a knitting instrumentality selector drum of a circular knitting machine, comprising a toothed wheel coaxial with a shaft of the machine and connected to the selector drum, said toothed wheel consisting ofa ratchet wheel including teeth with symmetrical flanks, first and second sets of movable cam means mounted on a movable part of the machine and each having a one-tooth zone and a two-tooth zone, the teeth of said movable cam means having symmetrical flanks, said first and second sets of moveable cam means being positioned on opposite sides respectively of said toothed wheel, said first set of moveable cam means being adapted to move into engagement with one side of said ratchet wheel to rotate said drum in one direction, said second set of moveable cam means being adapted to move into engagement with the other side of said ratchet wheel to rotate said drum in the opposite direction, and adjustable control cam means being provided on a fixed part of the machine adapted to alternatively actuate said first and second sets of moveable cam means.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 253 Dated June 28, 1971 Inventor) Jose Maria Daimau Guell It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 68, change "positions" to -position--;

Column 2, line 61. after "two" insert -toothed--;

Column 4, line 69, change "member" to "members"; line 70, change "or" to of--;

CLAIM l, coi umn 6, line 56, change "cams" to -cam--;

CLAIM 7, column 7, line 22, after "which" insert --the said first and second setline 23, after "means" delete "the said first and second set" Signed and sealed this 8th day of February 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer FORM PO-IOSO (10-69) .i uscowwuc and, i v.5. eovlnmnu' "mm": orncl an o-au-na 

